During the summer months, Tayside becomes a popular destination for motorcyclists. Our scenery and country roads prove popular for all types of riders and the majority of motorcycle accidents occur between April and September.

Are you thinking about getting out on your bike?

Before you slip into the leathers and onto two wheels this year, take a moment to think about what you can do to ensure your safety when out on the road enjoying the ride, and not put yourself and other road users in danger.

Take steps to improve your riding skills and get some advanced training. Be realistic about your abilities as you may have not  been riding since the end of last summer. Maybe you had some scary moments last year that you don't wish to repeat and sadly we all believe we are better riders and drivers than we actually are.

Some riding behaviours such as going too fast, poor positioning and observations, and inappropriate overtaking can lead to serious or fatal consequences for both you and others. Everyone can benefit from further training or a refresher course.

Riding Responsibly

• Before you ride your bike, have it serviced properly - if it hasn't been used for a while make sure it's in good condition.
• Tyre pressures affect the handling of your bike so check them regularly.
• Consider an advanced or a refresher training course such as Bike Safe and Bike Plus or any local DSA approved Training Centre.
• Invest in the proper protective clothing and helmet as it makes a difference if you come off your bike.
• Make sure you are visible. Use your headlights and wear bright high viz clothing to help others see you.
• Slow down and ride at a speed that will enable you to slow down and stop in good time. A major contributory factor in motorcyle collisions is too much speed. 
• Ride according to the road and weather conditions - expect the unexpected and read the road and other road users.
• Don't take unecesary risks, position yourself well and take bends safely at the correct speed.

Do you know what's around the corner?

No, of course you don’t but you can increase your chances of making this prediction. By thinking about how you approach a corner, hazard or any other manoeuvre, helps you to increase your options and ride safely.

We want to ensure that motorcyclists enjoy the roads in Tayside, know the route, keep within the speed limits and ride safely for the road and weather conditions they encounter.

To do this we have joined with other Scottish Safety Camera Partnerships in supporting the Around the Corner Campaign to engage with motorcyclists and encourage safe riding across Scotland.

We have provided information on two potential routes, the Strathtay and Strathearn routes. These can be viewed and downloaded for use.

Download Strathearn route leaflet

Download Strathtay route leaflet

The Around the Corner Maps provide information on safe riding. They show biker friendly rest stops for food and fuel, safety camera locations to highlight stretches of road with a history of collisions and hazards and sections of the route on which to take extra care. 

Don't Risk It

As mentioned already take the time to improve your riding skills and learn from the advice of others to stay safe on the roads. Road Safety Scotland have launched a portal from their website which gives good motorcycle safety advice, as well as featuring some ‘top tips’ for riders and an ‘Ask The Expert’ section.